You are currently viewing 13 Books on Mahabharata Characters that you must definitely read – #Blogberrydazzle

13 Books on Mahabharata Characters that you must definitely read – #Blogberrydazzle

Being someone who loves reading Indian Mythology, I came across many books that gave me a different perspective.

Mahabharata! There’s not a single way we can define Mahabharata. Every Character has their own version of the story, their own perspective and reading from their perspective makes us realize, each one of us has a journey to witness, all we need is to trust the universe, trust Krishna.

Having read so many books on Mahabharata, the books on various characters of Mahabharata, unheard stories of Mahabharata, here I am, sharing the list of books that you can read if you want to get a deeper insight what the characters went through. Each story gives us newer perspectives and interpretations. 

Inspired from Simran (craartology) Here are the books you must read if you love to read more about the characters from Mahabharata.

Chitra banerjee divakaruni, Palace of Illusions, Mahabharat, Draupadi

The Palace of Illusions – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

Narrated by Draupadi, Chitra Divakaruni weaves a Heart- Warming tale, it’s an exciting read, full of depth. One could feel the emotions, the thoughts and the situations Draupadi went through. It’s about her, the Yagyasheni.

The novel traces Panchaali’s life, beginning with her magical birth in fire as the daughter of a king before following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom.
{Source- CHITRA BANERJEE DIVAKARUNI}


Shakuni: Master of the Game by Ashutosh Nadkar

Narrated from Shakuni’s perspective, Ashutosh Nadkar gives us a new perspective about Shakuni. It’s one of my favourite books as I had many questions about Shakuni and this book definitely had answers to them. We never know much about Shakuni and this Book is an outstanding book.

Read Book Review: Shakuni : Master of the Game.


Arjuna the greatest lover by Saurish Hegde, Mahabharata books, Books on Mahabharata characters

Arjuna the Greatest Lover by Saurish Hegde

Arjuna is remembered as a great warrior and an archer extraordinaire, but did you know that he was also the greatest lover to have ever lived? Arjuna won Draupadi at her swayamvar as his wife, but were you aware that he had three other wives as well? Abhimanyu was Arjuna’s son. But Arjuna had four other sons, one of whom became his arch enemy.

On the way he meets Ulupi, the Naga princess; Chitrangadha, the warrior queen; Lord Krishna’s sister, Subadhra; and the celestial nymph and dancer, Urvashi. These women, who loved Arjuna deeply, tell the tale of his adventures in love and life in Arjuna the Greatest Lover.

{Source: Amazon.in}


Abhimanyu by deepak m r

Abhimanyu: The Warrior Prince by Deepak M.R.

In this book, the author shares about Abhimanyu’s journey, his childhood, his years of training, his love for his uncle and parents, how he went to find Arjuna, how he met Uttara and how he fought the battle. It’s a fast-paced story with a gripping narration. The way the author described everything that happened on the battlefield will give you goosebumps. How he fought alone with the masters till the last breath.

Also Read – Abhimanyu, The Warrior Prince by Deepak M R – Book Review


Krishna’s Sister By Priyanka Bhuyan.

In this book, the author shares about Abhimanyu’s journey, his childhood, his years of Krishna’s sister is a story of Subhadra who played a vital role in Mahabharata. A Strong woman, sister of God, a warrior who shaped Mahabharata even after losing everything. It’s a story of her sacrifice, her faith in her brother and herself. A warrior who ruled Arjun’s heart.
It’s an amazing book. A light and a beautiful read that one can dwell in. The way the author narrated the story is amazing. One can connect well with the book.

Also Read – Book Review of Chronicles of Kuru Woman Krishna’s Sister By Priyanka Bhuyan


The Kaunteyas by Madhavi Mahadevan, mahabharata stories

The Kaunteyas by Madhavi. S Mahadevan

 A book that holds secrets of Mahabharata. I liked how the author narrated the life of Kunti. How she felt when she told Karna the truth, when she told Pandavas the truth and a lot more. The engaging writing style keeps the reader hooked throughout. I liked the way it is narrated, with a smooth flow of words, the author keeps the readers invested in.

It has a lot about Kunti’s life with Pandu, the story of Satyavati, Amba and Ambalika.

Also Read – The Kaunteyas by Madhavi Mahadevan – Book Review

Recasting the Mahabharata from the viewpoint of Kunti, The Kaunteyas replaces the idealized mother figure with a fully three-dimensional woman, providing new insights into the epic.


Duryodhana's Queen by Priyanka Bhuyan

Duryodhana’s Queen by Priyanka Bhuyan

A journey of a Kuru Queen who was forever hidden in the pages of history. Know the love story of Duryodhana and Bhanumati. Did Duryodhana deliberately went ahead with the Kurukshetra war? Was he aware of the outcome of the war and if yes why did he went ahead? What happened to the woman of the Kauravas after the great war? This is the story of a Queen who was born to compete with Draupadi only to go down in ashes in the end.

{Source: Amazon.in}


the curse of gandhari by aditi banerjee, mahabhrata women

The Curse of Gandhari by Aditi Banerjee

In this insightful and sensitive portrayal, Aditi Banerjee rescues Gandhari from being reduced to a mere symbol of her blindfold. She builds her up, as Ved Vyasa did, as an unconventional heroine of great strength and iron will – who, when crossed, embarked upon a complex relationship with Lord Krishna, and became the queen who cursed a God.Gandhari has one day left to live.

{Source: Amazon.in}


a broken sun by aditya iyenger

A Broken Sun by Aditya Iyengar

Narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana, A Broken Sun is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra War and tells the story of the Mahabharata in a way that’s never been done before.

On the other side, the Kauravas, led by Guru Drona and Radheya try desperately to bring the war to an end. Their lives entwine tragically on the battlefield in a tale of loss and redemption.

{Source: Amazon.in}


Karna's wife by kavita kane

Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen by Kavita Kane

The accomplished Kshatriya princess, Urvi falls for the Sutputra-Karna, eventually discounting Arjun. She chooses Karna over her childhood mate Arjun and faces fury from many. Caught between the social implications from her act of defiance and her endeavours to gain respect and love from her husband, Urvi’s struggles as the outcast’s queen have been explored.

{Source: Amazon.in}


Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik

Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik

Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling Of The Mahabharata has the whole epic, which was originally known as Jaya, condensed into a tiny capsule in this book. Other than retelling the interesting parts of the Mahabharata, what makes this book a favourite among the readers is Pattanaik rendering of the various local folklores and tales that are associated with the epic, which have been presented in a whole new genre. With a master stroke, the author has elaborated the storyline by including lesser known folklore stories of the epic, while keeping intact its original form and style.

{Source: Amazon.in}


Mahabharata tales 1 Deepak M R

Mahabharata Tales -1 by Deepak M R

The 12 unheard tales will astound you. Be it friendship or love, be it the curse of Gandhari or the birth of Duryodhana, to the greatness of Sahadeva, the stories are too interesting. The stories retell great incidents from the epic and gives you an insight about the legendary characters of Mahabharata.

Also Read: Mahabharata Tales -1 by Deepak M R – Book Review


Panchaali The Princess Of Peace by Saniya Inamdar

From her life in Panchaal to how she felt when she was born, how she wanted to understand the emotions, the unconditional love. With an intriguing writing style, the author weaves an amazing tale of friendship and love, of a fearless princess. What I enjoyed most is the conversations between Krishna and Draupadi. The way Krishna explained Draupadi, the way he expressed was just wow. From the story of Damyanti to what love is for Draupadi, chapters like Krishna and Panchaali, Pandavaas, Mahabharata, are amazing.

Also Read: Panchaali The Princess Of Peace by Saniya Inamdar – Book Review

‘This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration.’

This Post Has 35 Comments

  1. Mayuri Nidigallu

    This is a fabulous list, and a special thanks for adding the buying links. I can’t take my eyes off the fabulous book covers!

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Thank You

    2. Vidhya Thakkar

      Yay!

  2. Sonia dogra

    Thanks for putting this together. I’ve only read two of these. But it’s surprising how the epic from the pov of one characters paints the others in a different light and vice versa. Arjun may have loved Subhadra immensely but from the perspective of Draupadi, he was a husband who neglected her. That’s the interesting bit about these insights.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Yes, even Ulipi and Chitragandha’s Shakuni’s book is just Fab

  3. Varsh

    I didn’t know there were so many books on different Mahabharata characters. Would love to read about Shakuni and Gandhari.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      It’s a Fab Book!

  4. Ritu Bindra

    Thanks for sharing a comprehensive list, Vidhya. I am particularly intrigued by Shakuni’s point of view. Will surely check it out. I have been on a break from Mahabharat retellings. Time to get back to it.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Yes:)

  5. Swati Mathur

    Well everyone know or read Mahabharata but knowing the life and perspective of each character would be fascinating. will grab few copies of my favorite characters.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Yes!

  6. Pamela Mukherjee

    I have read the Palace of Illution and Jaya and loved the book. I would surely read other books too. Thanks for reccomending the names.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Yay!

  7. Sadvika Kylash

    Wow. I dint know these books even exists. Thanks for these recommendations. I have started the kids version of Mahabaratha to my elder one.

    1. Vidhya Thakkar

      Glad it helped

  8. Madhu Bindra

    I didn’t know there were so many books about the different characters from Mahabharat. I will surely pick a few of them. Thanks for sharing about them.

  9. Kaveri Chhetri

    Thank you for sharing this list… most sound intriguing and I am amazed that uv read all of them… wow!

  10. Nikita Jhanglani

    What a fabulous list! I’ve read The Palace of Illusions and a couple of retellings. What I like best about such books is that you get to see the perspective of all the characters, the good guys and the bad guys. I’m most intrigued about reading the book on Shakuni.

    1. Bhawna Shah

      I am seriously mesmerized after seeing these books. Each book is echoing its beauty.

  11. Shail Thosani

    I have not read a single one of these and I am going to get a copy of these books on Kindle next. I am more interested in reading Krishna’s Sister and the palace of illusions. I loved your list and the short descriptions of the books.

  12. Vasumathi

    There is a reason why Mahabharatha is referred to as one of the Great Epics! The fact that we have stories written even to this day shows how inspiring & intriguing it is. Palace Of Illusions is a favorite of mine!

  13. Rakhi Jayashankar

    I loved collection that you have shared. I was actually wondering if there would be Jaya and Ajaya by Anand Neelakantan. Thankfully you didn’t add

  14. Sindhu Vinod Narayan

    Palace of illusions is the one that I’ve read but your list is definitely gonna help me out on reading the rest. Love the compilation and the links to make buying easier.

  15. Jasmine

    Amazing collection of list of books. Will surely try to make the most of this post as I am new in starting my reading journey

  16. Jhilmil D Saha

    What a well-researched article. We have mostly known the various characters of Mahabharata from the main epic. However, these sort of books will help us to know in details about our favourite characters.

  17. Monidipa Dutta

    I love Mahabharat but I didn’t know that there were several books, narratives of different people. I loved them all. Adding them to my TBR.

  18. Kashish Mahtani

    I’ve been in awe of several Mahabharata characters since a long time. Thank you for this list, I’m going to start right at the top with The Palace of Illusions – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni!

  19. Abha Mondal

    Wow what an amazing list of books! would love to read them. Thanks for sharing and adding buying link.

  20. Meetali Kutty

    This is a great and well-thought out list- and I’ve added a few of these to my must read list- thanks for sharing and elaborating on how they connect to these characters!

  21. Pooja Jha

    I have read Curse of Gandhari and now reading Geeta for children with my kids, they are loving it. So I am saving this list and will be reading all these one by one with my Children in our bedtime stories.

  22. Raghav Dudeja

    I’ve found my latest interest in mythology. I’m currently exploring it via podcasts. This is an extremely good repository.

  23. Life Marbles

    Recently only I saw the Palace of illusions on my table. I was wondering who ordered. I didn’t pick up to read or ask. But this is on the top of list, so
    Will surely check out the book .

  24. Vaishnavi

    Hi Vidhya,
    I had a great time reading the post you have given a piece of detailed information about our favorite characters. Your articles always inspire me to read more books.

  25. Noor Anand Chawla

    Wow Vidhya that’s an impressive list of books on one subject! I’ve only read Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s so far and had quite liked that. Will check these out too.

  26. Kavya

    This is an awesome list i do not have to put up a struggle to find others, Thanks a bunch:-)

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